Re: adapter << adopter

It’s “early adopter.” The OED traces it back to the postwar technology boom of the 50s:

early adopter n. (orig. Econ. and Sociol.) a person or group that starts using a new product or technology soon after it becomes available, often influencing others to follow suit; spec. (chiefly Marketing) a type of consumer comprising the second of five categories, gauged in terms of their readiness to adopt an innovation …
1951 Q. Jrnl. Econ. 65 (Back matter), Many leading colleges and universities are adopting this book for class use. Among the early adopters are: Boston University, [etc.].